Interactive system capable of improving image processing

ABSTRACT

An interactive system capable of improving image processing includes a reference device, a processing module and a controller. The reference device is used for transmitting and/or reflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum. The processing module includes an image sensor, an estimation unit and a transmission interface. The image sensor is used for sensing an image so as to generate pixel signals; the estimation unit is used for determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals; and the transmission interface is used for serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object. The controller is used for controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object outputted from the transmission interface. The image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface can all be formed on the same substrate.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/904,301, filedNov. 3, 2004, which is included in its entirety herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an interactive system, and morespecifically, to an interactive system capable of improving imageprocessing.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With the popularization of multimedia applications, conventional imagesensors installed within digital devices, such as digital videocamcorders and digital still cameras (DSC), are used for taking movingimages. Generally speaking, image sensors with higher resolutions areable to produce high quality digital images, and thus can be used forimage distinguishing and fingerprint identification purposes. Imagesensors with lower resolution, however, are used in interactive toys forsimple motion distinguishing purposes. Take mechanical pets for example;the built-in camera installed inside the mechanical pets functions as an“eye” of the interactive toy to sense users' motion and then indicatedifferent instructions through a control circuit.

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of aninteractive system 10 according to the prior art. The interactive system10 includes an image sensor 12, a micro-controller 14, and a paralleltransmission bus 16. The image sensor 12 contains a CMOS sensing array22 and an analog to digital converter (ADC) 24. Data sensed by the CMOSsensing array 22 are transmitted to the analog to digital converter 24.Because the CMOS sensing array 22 is capable of sensing a plurality ofpixel data for forming images, the CMOS sensing array 22 of the imagesensor 12 will generate various pixel data continuously while takingcontinuously moving images. In order to transmit a considerable amountof pixel data, the sensed pixel data between the image sensor 12 and thecontroller 14 are transmitted through a parallel transmission bus 16,and then the micro-controller 14 recomposes the object images ordetermines the condition of the object based on the above pixel data tocontrol the operation of the interactive system 10.

The huge amount of the sensed data is considerable, however, and thevelocity of parallel transmission with complex hardware structures isslower than that of serial transmission with the high development ofserial transmission. Furthermore, the micro-controller 14 still has todetermine and analyze the necessary data after receiving the sensed datatransmitted through the parallel transmission interface. Because theapplied sphere of each micro-controller 14 is not consistent, taking themicro-controller installed within an optical mouse as an example, themicro-controller 14 does not need to obtain entire and detailed imagedata, but can instead obtain just the trail of relatively movingpositions of image objects. As a result, if users utilize theconventional image sensor 12 for generating pixel data, themicrocontroller 14 has to receive and process all pixel data, resultingin a major burden while processing the image data.

Moreover, the traditional image sensor 12 for transforming receivedlight into electrical signals is implemented as a single chip.Therefore, it is necessary to improve such image sensor 12 made as asingle chip using the trend of system-on-chip circuit design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to providean interactive system that calculates the desired image parameters inadvance using a chip which integrates image processing circuits and animage sensor onto the same substrate and then transmits the parametersto the controller to reduce the complexity of the design of thecontroller and to speed up image processing.

According to the claimed invention, an interactive system capable ofimproving image processing comprises a processing module and acontroller. The processing module comprises an image sensor for sensingan image so as to generate pixel signals; an estimation unit fordetermining static parameters of at least one image object according tothe pixel signals, the at least one image object being a set of pixelsignals with a substantially identical color parameter; and atransmission interface for serially outputting the static parameters ofthe at least one image object. The controller is used for controllingoperation of the interactive system according to the static parametersof the at least one image object outputted from the transmissioninterface.

According to the claimed invention, an interactive system capable ofimproving image processing comprises a reference device, a processingmodule and a controller. The reference device is used for transmittingand/or reflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum. Theprocessing module comprises an image sensor for sensing the lightsignals so as to generate pixel signals, an estimation unit fordetermining static parameters of at least one image object according tothe pixel signals; and a transmission interface for serially outputtingthe static parameters of the at least one image object. The controlleris used for controlling operation of the interactive system according tothe static parameters of the at least one image object outputted fromthe transmission interface.

According to the claimed invention, an interactive method capable ofimproving image processing comprises transmitting and/or reflectinglight signals within a predetermined spectrum; sensing the light signalsso as to generate pixel signals; determining static parameters of atleast one image object according to the pixel signals; seriallyoutputting the static parameters of the at least one image object; andcontrolling operation of the interactive system according to the staticparameters of the at least one image object.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the interactive system accordingto the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the interactive system accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows multiple image pictures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of theinteractive system 30 according to the present invention. Theinteractive system 30 can be an interactive toy. The interactive system30 contains a reference device 40, a processing module 44 that is achip, and a controller 54. The reference device 40 is a light source, areflective device or a combination of the light source and thereflective device. The reference device 40 comprises a filter forfiltering original light signals so as to filter out light signalsoutside the predetermined spectrum, thereby transmitting and/orreflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum. The processingmodule 44 comprises an image sensor 42, an estimation unit and atransmission interface 48. The image sensor 42 is a charge-coupleddevice (CCD) or a CMOS optical sensor, for sensing the light signals soas to generate pixel signals, and then transmitting the pixel signals tothe estimation unit 45. The estimation unit 45 is used for determiningstatic parameters of at least one image object according to the pixelsignals. The transmission interface 48 is used for serially outputtingthe static parameters of the at least one image object. The controller54 is used for controlling operation of the interactive system 30according to the static parameters of the at least one image objectoutputted from the transmission interface 48. The image sensor 42, theestimation unit 45, and the transmission interfaces 48 can all be formedon a substrate 41.

Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows multiple image pictures. Eachpicture comprises a plurality of pixel signals. Take the 800*600 pixelpicture as an example. The image sensor 42 is used for sensing the lightsignals transmitted from the reference device 40 so as to generate pixelsignals. After a pixel signal is generated, the pixel signal istransmitted to the estimation unit 45. Then the estimation unit 45determines whether the pixel signal matches a predetermined condition.If the pixel signal matches the predetermined condition, and pixelsignals adjacent to the pixel signal also match the predeterminedcondition, then the plurality of pixel signals which are adjacent to oneanother and match the predetermined condition are determined to be anobject. And then the estimation unit 45 can determine static parametersof the object such as the coordinate, the center of gravity, the area,the boundary, the orientation, colors, endpoints, and the length towidth ratio of the object. Where the colors of the object include theaverage color, the color of the pixal signal located at the center ofthe gravity, and the color of the pixel signals with the largestluminance. The predetermined condition may be luminance being between afirst predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold suchas corresponding to between a gray level of 80 and a gray level of 200.Take the target picture 120 as an example, various static parameters canbe determined for the target object 100 in the target picture 120. Inparticular, the center of gravity of the target object 100 is generatedas follows:

${\left( {G_{x},G_{y}} \right) = \left( {\frac{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{{L\left( {x,y} \right)} \times x}}{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{L\left( {x,y} \right)}},\frac{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{{L\left( {x,y} \right)} \times y}}{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{L\left( {x,y} \right)}}} \right)},{and}$R = {(x, y) : L(x, y) > TH}.

Where L(x,y) is intensity of one of the pixel signals; and

TH is the first predetermined threshold.

The target object 100 is taken as a set of pixel signals with asubstantially identical color parameter. Thus the set of pixel signalsincludes pixel signals with different but similar colors as well aspixel signals with identical colors. The estimation unit 45 is capableof determining parameters of the target object 100 in the target picture120, (e.g. an area, boundary, and gray-scale value), according to thenumber of the substantially identical pixel signals and theircorresponding coordinates. The estimation unit 45 further determinesparameters such as endpoints and the length to width ratio of the targetobject 100. Suppose the target object 100 is a rectangle, the estimationunit 45 will determine the number of endpoints of the object to be 4 andwill determine the object's length to width ratio. That is to say, thestatic parameters are measurable parameters of the target object 100while the target object 100 is being statically displayed.

After obtaining related parameters for each object of the picture 120,the estimation unit 45 transmits the static parameters to thetransmission interface 48. The transmission interface 48 can be auniversal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) interface. Comparedwith synchronous parallel transmission, asynchronous serial transmissionhas the advantages of small volume, low price, and the ability totransmit over a long distance. For instance, a universal asynchronoustransceiver is an asynchronous serial/parallel data transmitter fortransmitting data between serial devices that control and connect to theinteractive system 30 (or a processor). More specifically, the functionof the interactive system 30 provided by UART is similar to that of dataexchange provided by RS-232 data terminal equipment (DTE), so that theinteractive system 30 is capable of exchanging data with serial devicesthrough a universal serial bus (USB).

In addition to the UART mentioned previously (RS-232 is one kind ofUART), the transmission interface 48 can be I²C (inter-IC) or USBinterfaces. The I²C protocol regulates that data transmission isperformed through two two-way (transmit and receive) transmission lines(serial data line SDA and serial clock line). Because the principle oftransforming serial data and parallel data with I²C and USB is similarto that with UART and is well known to those skilled in the art, therewill be no further description hereinafter.

In other words, the transmission interface 48 can each use at least onekind of interface from the serial transmission groups including theUART, I²C (inter-IC), and USB interfaces.

Ultimately, after receiving the static parameters, e.g. coordinates ofan object, an area of an object, colors of an object, orientation of anobject, boundary of an object, endpoints of an object, and length towidth ratio of an object, transmitted from the transmission interfaces48, the controller 54 is able to utilize codes of each object in theprevious picture 110 in cooperation with static parameters of eachobject to recover the target picture 120. Where the colors of the objectinclude the average color, the color of the pixal signal located at thecenter of the gravity, and the color of the pixel signals with thelargest luminance. The controller 54 may take further action based onthe parameters for controlling the operation of the interactive system30.

Compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses aninteractive system 30 with the reference device 40. The reference device40 is used for transmitting and/or reflecting light signals within apredetermined spectrum. The image sensor 42 is used for sensing thelight signals from the reference device 40 so as to generate pixelsignals. The estimation unit 45 determines pixel signals which match apredetermined condition and are adjacent to one another as an object,and determines static parameters of each object of a picture. In thisway, the controller 54 at the back end does not need to calculatecomplicated parameters any more, which reduces the circuit designcomplexity and shortens the development period of interactive systems.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

1. An interactive system capable of improving image processing comprising: a processing module comprising: an image sensor for sensing an image so as to generate pixel signals; an estimation unit for determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals, the at least one image object being a set of pixel signals with a substantially identical color parameter; and a transmission interface for serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object; and a controller for controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object outputted from the transmission interface.
 2. The interactive system of the claim 1 wherein the image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface are formed on a substrate.
 3. The interactive system of the claim 1 wherein the set of pixel signals with the substantially identical color parameter is the set of pixel signals with similar colors.
 4. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the static parameters comprise a coordinate of the at least one image object, an area of the at least one image object, an orientation of the at least one image object, colors of the at least one image object, endpoints of the at least one image object, a length to width ratio of the at least one image object, and/or a boundary of the at least one image object.
 5. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the transmission interface is an I²C interface.
 6. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the transmission interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface.
 7. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the transmission interface is a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART).
 8. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor is a CMOS sensor.
 9. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor is a charge-coupled device (CCD).
 10. An interactive system capable of improving image processing comprising: a reference device for transmitting and/or reflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum; a processing module comprising: an image sensor for sensing the light signals so as to generate pixel signals; an estimation unit for determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals; and a transmission interface for serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object; and a controller for controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object outputted from the transmission interface.
 11. The interactive system of the claim 10 wherein the image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface are formed on a substrate.
 12. The interactive system of claim 10 wherein the reference device comprises a filter for filtering original light signals so as to filter out light signals outside the predetermined spectrum.
 13. The interactive system of claim 10 wherein the transmission interface is an I²C interface.
 14. The interactive system of claim 10 wherein the transmission interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface.
 15. The interactive system of claim 10 wherein the transmission interface is a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART).
 16. The interactive system of claim 10 wherein the image sensor is a CMOS sensor.
 17. The interactive system of claim 10 wherein the image sensor is a charge-coupled device (CCD).
 18. An interactive method capable of improving image processing comprising: transmitting and/or reflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum; sensing the light signals so as to generate pixel signals; determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals; serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object; and controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object.
 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising filtering original light signals so as to filter out light signals outside the predetermined spectrum.
 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the static parameters comprise a coordinate of the at least one image object, an area of the at least one image object, an orientation of the at least one image object, colors of the at least one image object, endpoints of the at least one image object, a length to width ratio of the at least one image object, and/or a boundary of the at least one image object.
 21. The method of claim 18 wherein determining the static parameters of the at least one image object according to the pixel signals comprises determining a center of gravity of the at least one image object according to a following equation: ${\left( {G_{x},G_{y}} \right) = \left( {\frac{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{{L\left( {x,y} \right)} \times x}}{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{L\left( {x,y} \right)}},\frac{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{{L\left( {x,y} \right)} \times y}}{\sum\limits_{{({x,y})} \in R}{L\left( {x,y} \right)}}} \right)};$ R = {(x, y) : L(x, y) > TH}; wherein: L(x,y) is intensity of one of the pixel signals; and TH is a predetermined threshold. 